KEEN AND ADEL

Posted on 27 July 2007
- 12:00

Adel Taarabt is&nbsp;pleased to be playing his part in the Vodacom Challenge in South Africa.

Adel Taarabt is pleased to be playing his part in the Vodacom Challenge in South Africa.After a fleeting appearance in our opener against Kaizer Chiefs, the French youngster took the Man of the Match Award against Orlando Pirates in Cape Town on Tuesday night.

Adel’s skills have certainly caught the eye in pre-season encounters against Stevenage Borough – he scored in this summer’s opener at Broadhall Way – St Patrick’s, a Spurs XI win at Dartford and now South Africa.

“I was very proud,” said Adel of his award after the Pirates game. “To come to South Africa and to receive this made me very happy, my family happy and of course I'm pleased for the team.

“I’m happy. Playing with the team always helps improve your confidence and now it’s up to me to show that I am worth a place in the team for the rest of the year.”

Adel will hope to face Pirates again in Saturday’s final in Pretoria after they toppled the Chiefs on Thursday night for the right to take us on at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium.

“The Pirates were less physical than the Chiefs, they played with the ball at their feet much more, but it’s difficult to say as the two pitches we played on were completely different,” he said.

So how about African football, how does that compare to European football? “Well, I’m Moroccan originally, so in a sense I am African, but here in South Africa it is completely different to the Africa I know. It’s an amazing atmosphere at the games, very noisy and I like it.”